Gapped wheel.



W. T. SEARS.

GAPPED WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.19, 1910.

Patented May 10, 1910.

UNITED STTES PATENT @FFIQE.

BEMENT-POND COMPANY,

OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

GAPPED WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 19, 1910. Serial No.

Patented May 1th, 1910). 538,800.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD T. SEARS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gapped Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

In certain uses of wheels they require to be radially gapped in order that an axle or shaft may be passed inwardly to their centers, and it is requisite that the gap be closed at the rim by means of a suitable patch. In gapped gear wheels, as employed in a certain-class of car wheel lathes, the wheel is gapped to permit the entry and exit of the car axle while the car wheels are upon it, and it is highly desirable that the movable patch by means of which the rim-gap is opened and closed shall be manipulated with facility. My invention, aiming at this result, will be readily understood from the fol lowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gapped gear-wheel inclosed in a gear-case in the usual manner; Fig. 2 a face view of a portion of the gapped gear embodying an exemplification of my improvement and showing the patch in working position: Fig. 3 a similar view but showing the patch in position to cause the gap to be opened; and Fig. i a vertical transverse section through the gear and gear-case to expose the inner face of the patch when in working position, the gear being shown as having turned to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the section through the gear-case being taken in the plane of line a of Fig. 1, and the section through the gear being taken in the plane of line Z) of Fig. 2.

In the drawing :1, indicates the rim of the gear: 2, .its web, the gear in this case be ing illustrated as of the plate type as distinguished from the spoked type: 3, its hub: 4, the gap leading from the bore of the gear outwardly and through the rim: 5, the rim patch adapted to close the gap at the rim and complete the rim, the ends of the patch overlying the walls of the gap: 6, dowels, illustrated as ribs, provided upon the inner face of the patch and engaging appropriate recesses in the wheel rim and serving to cause the patch to form a tie extending across the gap: 7, straps extending along each side edge of the patch and straddling the engaged portion of the rim, the straps being in the present instance illustrated as being separately formed and secured to the patch: 8, a hinge-pin passing through the wheel-rim and through one extremity of each of the straps: 9, rivets securing the straps to the patch: 10, the extremities of the straps opposite their hinged ends, these extremities straddling the wheel-rim and fitting it sidewise: 11, an inwardly projecting pivot carried by the patch, and illustrated as a bolt screwed into the patch: 12, a latch-lever mounted on the pivot and adapted to be turned to positions across the gap or entirely into the gap: 13, a latch-toe carried by one portion of the latch-lever and adapted, when the patch is in working position, to engage against an inner portion of the wheel-rim at one side of the gap: 14c, a second latch-toe carried by the latch-lever and adapted to engage an inner portion of the wheel rim at the side of the gap opposite that engaged by latch-toe 13: 15, a spring detent-pin carried by the latch-lever: 16, recesses at the inner face of the patch to be engaged by the detent-pin to aid in retaining the latch-lever in various angular positions: 17, a gear-case inclosing the gear: 18, the radial gap in the gear case: and 19, the sidewalls of the gear-case.

With the parts in the position indicated in Fig. 2 the patch is in working position, serving to complete the rim of the gear across I the gap. By turning the latch-lever, till the latch-toes disengage, the patch may be swung outwardly on its hinge-pin so as to completely open the gap, as indicated in Fig. 3, and in this manipulation of the patch the latch-lever may serve as a convenient handle for it. lVhen the patch is to be restored to working position, it is to be turned up into place and the latch-lever turned till the latch-toes properly engage and lock the patch in place. The latch-toe 13 alone will serve in adequately locking the patch to place but the addition of the latch-toe l4 adds to the firmness of locking and to the strength of the structure when locked, and adds to the friction with which the latch lever is held in locking position.

The spring detent 15, if provided, may serve in yieldingly holding the latch-lever in selected angular positions, such as the locking position, the downwardly projecting position indicated in Fig. 3, and a position at right angles to the two positions indicated.

It is to be observed that the opening of the gap does not call for the bodily removal of any piece from the gear and, while the gapclosure effected by the patch is of a very substantial and eflicient character, the manipulations of the patch can be effected with readiness. The making of the straps as separately formed members secured to the sides of the patch, as distinguished from forming them integrally with the patch, is a mere matter of choice or economy in manufacture of the device.

When the wheel is used within a casing, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and i, the present system provides that the wheel-gap cannot be intentionally or accidentally opened except when the wheel gap coincides with the casing gap, for at other times the side walls of the casing prevent the turning of the latch-lever to unlocking position. Even if the casing were not a casing in fact, it becomes obvious that the side walls thus serve a useful purpose in preventing the opening of the wheel-gap except when the wheel occupies a certain proper angular position.

I claim l. A gapped wheel comprising, a rimpatch spanning the gap, straps projecting from the side edges of one end of the patch and straddling the wheel-rim at one side of the gap, a hinge uniting the extremities of said straps to the rim, and a latch locking the opposite end of the patch to the rim at the opposite side of the gap, combined sub stantially as set forth.

2. A gapped wheel, comprising a rim patch spanning the gap and having projections from the side edges of one of its ends to straddle the wheel-rim at one side of the gap, a hinge uniting the opposite end of the patch to the rim at the opposite side of the gap, and a latch locking the free end of the patch to the rim at the side of the gap opposite the hinge, combined substantially as set forth.

3. A gapped wheel comprising, a rimpatch spanning the gap, a hinge uniting one end of the patch to the rim at one side of the gap, and a latch locking the opposite end of the patch to the rim at the opposite side of the gap, the opposite ends of the patch and the rim at the opposite sides of the gap being provided with cooperating projections and recesses, combined substantially as set forth.

a. A gapped wheel comprising, a rimpatch spanning the gap, a hinge uniting one end of the patch to the rim at one side of the gap, and a latch carried by the inner side of the patch and adapted to engage the wheel rim at the side of the gap opposite the side at which the patch is hinged and serving in looking the opposite end of the patch to the rim at the opposite side of the gap, combined substantially as set forth.

5. A gapped wheel comprising, a rimpatch spanning the gap, a hinge uniting one end of the patch to the rim at one side of the gap, and a latch-lever pivoted to the inner face of the patch and having toes adapted to engage within the rim at the opposite sides of the gap, combined substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a gapped wheel, a rim-patch spanning the gap, a hinge uniting one end of the patch to the rim of one side of the gap, a latch-lever adapted to serve in locking the patch in position of closure in the gap, and a gapped side wall disposed near one side of the wheel and adapted to serve in preventing the turning of the latch-lever to unlocking position except when opposite the gap in the side wall.

\VILLARD T. SEARS.

WVitnesses R. RAYMOND PORTER, GI-IAnLns W. ANIsoN. 

